1901 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



605 



even the winds and waves obeyed has promis- 

 ed to look after and care for you. I remem- 

 ber hearing of a certain old colored man who 

 used to say, when greatly tempted, "Lord, 

 your propert}' is in danger." When asked 

 how he dared pray with such assurance, he 

 said that for many years he had belonged to 

 the Lord, and therefore he had a right to con- 

 sider himself the Lord's propertj'. 



Now, that dream I have alluded to might 

 have been forgotten and passed by, but a 

 strange thing brought it to mind. We are 

 now having exceedingly hot and sultry weath- 

 er, for to-day is July 1. Well, along with the 

 hot weather we are getting out our easy-chairs, 

 hammocks, cushions, etc., so that we can take 

 rest and enjoyment in the shade. Among 

 other things, Mrs. Root showed me a beauti- 

 ful soft pillow. It is covered with silk, and 

 on the silk is an inscription. Some good lady 

 away off in California worked it out in fancy 

 needlework and embroidery, and sent it to 

 me for a present. Here are the words : 

 Lord, help ! this is my favorite prayer 

 In time of trouble and of care. 

 I may not all the wants disclose, 

 But these my loving Father knows ; 

 But help I need, and up to heaven 

 I lift my prayer and help is given. 



You will notice I have two texts at the head 

 of my talk. You might infer from the above 

 that, during the twenty-five years that are 

 past, I had triumphed very easily over every 

 temptation. Please do not understand me so. 

 It is true I have been ultimately delivered, 

 and have come safely through all trials ; but 

 I have had my sore conflicts like the rest of 

 humanity. Again and again have I exhorted 

 others to let go of the follies and trials of this 

 world, and turn to the Lamb of God, and yet 

 in just a few hours afterward I have been my- 

 self, as it were, struggling in the Slough of 

 Despond, as we have it in Pilgrim's Progress ; 

 and many times I have thought, "Well, it is 

 a long time since Satan has had hold of me 

 along that line. Very likely he has met with 

 so little success that he has given up the job 

 and concluded he can accomplish more by 

 prowling around somewhere else ; " but again 

 and again (sometimes in just a few hours) I 

 have found that I am a good deal the same 

 chap that I have been all through these years. 

 I hope I am climbing slowly away from earth, 

 and up toward heaven. But earthly things 

 hang to me with a strong grip, even yet. 

 Sometimes I wonder at these conflicts and 

 skirmishes. Yes, sometimes I am really ap- 

 palled by the sin that still lurks in my own 

 heart. Let me digress a little. 



During these twenty-five years or more, I 

 have exhorted many to turn to the Lamb of 

 God that taketh away the sin of the world. 

 Sometimes I have been asked to settle difficul- 

 ties, and have been chosen arbitrator. I have 

 had one recent experience. The parties are 

 both friends of mine, and they have been for 

 years friends to each other. They have been 

 mutually helpful to each other, doing business 

 in the way of buying and selling honey to the 

 amount of hundreds if not thousands of dol- 

 lars. They are both, I think, professing Chris- 

 tians. Of course, each was to present the 



matter from his own standpoint. In the first 

 place, they had trusted each other too much. 

 Things that ought to have been down in black 

 and white had been allowed for years to go 

 without a settlement. We have no right to 

 do this, any of us. After the disagreement, 

 each questioned the other's sincerity and 

 Christianity. I plead with both of them to 

 consider the other as still his brother, and that 

 they should fix the matter up and go on doing^ 

 business together like two brothers. But Sa- 

 tan had got into their hearts (I hope both will 

 forgive me for speaking thus plainly), and I 

 fear I succeeded very poorly. I have seen 

 many cases of this kind. A man goes on at 

 great length to tell me of the inconsistency 

 and mistakes of his neighbor. When I re- 

 mind him of how many years they got along 

 pleasantly together, my informant says, "Yes, 

 that is true ; but something has got into him 

 lately. He did not use to be so mean and 

 ugly." 



I reply, "Yes, my friend, something has 

 got into his heart. Satan has got hold of him. 

 Are you not sorry for this neighbor of yours ? 

 Do you not pity him ? " 



The reply, however, is something very often 

 like this : " No, I do not pity him a bit. I do 

 not care how much trouble he has. I should 

 like to punch his head this minute." 



Sometimes I have tried to make peace be- 

 tween husband and wife. I have told you 

 about it on these pages. I have begged and 

 implored each of the two parties to remember 

 the good qualities of the dear partner. I have 

 urged each one to pray that God might loosen 

 the hold the evil one had got on the heart of 

 the other. Sometimes I have said, "Why, 

 Mr. A, can you not look at this thing as you 

 would if your wife had suffered some misfor- 

 tune ? or as if it were sickness that ailed her > 

 Let us just suppose for a minute that she is 

 unfortunate and to be pitied. Perhaps through 

 no particular fault of her own, Satan has got 

 into her heart. Can you not help restore her 

 to her old self by being kind and gentle > 

 Will you not try very hard not to fan into a 

 flame this thing that is only just started, by 

 any imprudent or foolish act of your own ? 

 Never mind who is right or who is wrong. 

 Never mind if she is unreasonable, yes, and 

 even exasperating. ' A soft answer turneth 

 away wrath.' Disarm her by kindness and 

 gentleness, and show a spirit just the very op- 

 posite from the one she exhibits." 



Sometimes my exhortations bear good fruit; 

 but too often the husband declares he is going 

 to pay her back in the same coin she gives 

 him. And then comes a separation, even aft- 

 er the two have brought up a family of chil- 

 dren. 



Sometimes a row is started because one man 

 calls another one a liar. Again and again I 

 have tried to persuade both parties that this, 

 was not an excuse for a "fight." 



I have sometimes said, "Why, if he told 

 the truth, and you are a liar, you ought to- 

 thank him for telling you of your faults. And 

 then you ought to go to work right earnestly 

 to break away from such sinful habits. If 

 you are not a liar, denying the charge in his 



